“It is inexplicable”- Ex-referee criticizes VAR’s decision to wave off Osimhen’s penalty incident in Napoli’s loss to Inter

Osimhen appeared to have been fouled in the 18-yard box, but the referee refused to call a penalty

Former Referee Antonio Iannone has criticised the officiating in Napoli’s 3-0 loss to Inter Milan at the Dieogo Maradona on Sunday, Soccernet.ng reports.

Napoli were humiliated on Sunday, when they welcomed former Serie A champions Inter Milan to the Diego Maradona. The game was pretty balanced but Inter Milan just managed to edge it.

Goals from Hakan Calhanoglu, Nicolo Barella, and Marcus Thuram sealed the victory for Simeone Inzaghi’s side. But the Partenopeans will leave the take feeling undone because of two questionable calls from referee Davide Massa.

For example, in the first goal there was a foul in the build-up by Lautaro Martinez, but the referee did not call it, neither did the VAR.

In the 57th minute, when Osimhen was fouled in the box after his ankle was stamped on the referee did not blow for a foul, and the VAR did not pick it up either.

Following the result, former referee Ianonne has criticized Massa and the VAR officials for their performance.

“I am more disconcerted by the VAR’s failure to intervene[in Osimhen’s situation] from Massa’s position, even if close, the view was not perfect and he could not have processed what we saw,” Ianonne said per Napoli Magazine.

“With another image from behind the goal. From there you can see how Osimhen had taken a position in the dynamics of the action, Acerbi was physically behind him and hit him in the hip and lower leg. That precariously balanced intervention becomes decisive, but the image seen by us is not the one seen by Massa.

“Why doesn’t VAR take Massa to the monitor to show him? It’s inexplicable, and I want to understand what discussion there was between the referee and VAR on the foul.”

The loss leaves Napoli in 5th position on the Serie A table, but they will be looking to return to winning ways against Juventus next week.